Sathya Sai Education
“There are two kinds of knowledge: One relates to the knowledge of external things; the head manifests this power. On the other hand, the heart enables one to bring out the inner knowledge. Life will become ideal when both types of knowledge are made to manifest in harmony. These are referred to as Education and EDUCARE.” Sathya Sai Baba.
The philosophy of Sathya Sai Education is best described by the concept of ‘Educare’: to realize the true human potential and to transform.
According to the Oxford Dictionary (English) the word “Education” has a double Latin root. The first is “educare”, which means to foster, to nourish and to feed. The second is “educere”, which means to educe, to bring out and to manifest. Sathya Sai Education includes both these aspects, which complement each other. The first is related to external and worldly education. The second aspect is related to spiritual education. Here the emphasis is placed on the process of bringing out the inherent Human Values, which manifest as the beauty of character.
‘Spiritual education brings out the inherent divinity of man. Thus, both the secular and spiritual education are required, without which human life has no value.‘ Sathya Sai Baba.
Educare is to bring out every form of knowledge and capacity that is latent in man. Educare is to bring out the physical, mental, ethical and spiritual potentials within man. Present-day education normally focuses on the first two domains related to human nature, emphasizing the development of physical skills and mental ability. However, in the SSEHV Program emphasis is put on the spiritual potentials and higher reason, which is the origin of human ideals. Educare is to bring out the innate human values.
This can be achieved when the three aspects of human nature are equally developed. When they are aligned and coordinated with one another, the human personality is refined and uplifted, thus manifesting the fundamental values of Truth, Righteousness/Right Conduct, Peace, Love and Non-violence.
The Goal of Education
“Education must liberate man from the shackles of cowardice, pettiness, greed, hate, narrowmindedness, from the limits of I and mine….True education therefore is that which directs and counsels the mind and intellect of man towards the earning of pure happiness.” Sathya Sai Baba
The goal of education is character and this manifests itself in the unity of thought, word and deed based on Universal Love. Divinity is understood as this Universal love. It is the underlying principle of all the human values. The purpose of this education is to live a human and spiritual life at the same time.
Secular and spiritual education should be merged in a philosophy and theory of education that better serves the needs of society.
The crucial premise of this system is the fact that the realization of one’s true nature can be supported and nourished by various forms of educational activities, and this for all students at all stages of their development. Thus, Sathya Sai Education brings with itself a lifelong process of transformation and seeks to strengthen the relationships between the individual, the family, the society and the whole creation.
The Search for a New Educational Order
Educational reforms over the past several decades have been searching for a “new educational order” to address many of the challenges facing the world today. Addressing the major challenges facing education in the 1970s, the International Commission on the Development of Education (The Faure Commission, 1972), wrote in its report: “The physical, intellectual, emotional, and ethical integration of the individual into a complete man is a broad definition of the fundamental aim for education”. The underlying idea was that only such a complete man would be equipped to deal with the challenges facing the world.
A quarter of a century later the Jacques Delors Commission went a step further to reaffirm its belief that, “Education should contribute to every person’s complete development — mind and body, intelligence, sensitivity, aesthetic appreciation and spirituality.” The Commission also saw education, “as one of the principal means available to foster a deeper and more harmonious form of human development and thereby to reduce poverty, exclusion, ignorance, oppression and war.”
Several years later, the Delors Commission (UNESCO) in Learning: The Treasure Within identified four pillars needed for human personality development: “learning to know”, “learning to do”, “learning to live together”, and “learning to be.“
“Learning to live together” in a family, at a workplace and in the society at large has become paramount.
To Be refers to developing the whole human being, or a balanced development of the physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual domains to endow one with an integrated personality. By combining spiritual education with secular education in an integral manner, Sathya Sai Education lays the foundation for developing an integrated personality. Sri Sathya Sai Baba has referred to it as “the harmonious development of a sharp intellect endowed with fundamental discrimination; a kind, compassionate heart with love for all; and competent hands that serve selflessly.” Such a personality is the combination of nobility and ability. Sri Sathya Sai Baba says, “Nobility without ability is useless to society and ability without nobility is dangerous to it.” The most important manifestation of this whole human being or an integrated personality is character, and that is the goal of Sathya Sai Education.
Modern day education is mostly intellectual and skill-oriented, while it does little to develop good qualities, such as character, common sense as well as social skills and abilities. By adopting moral, ethical and spiritual understanding from early childhood, children will grow into caring and responsible adults, who learn to meet the challenges of life with resourcefulness, positivity and inner strength.
The universality of SSEHV is adaptable to all curricula and offers a meeting point for current trends in value – oriented education.
“Good education is that which teaches the methods of achieving world peace; that which destroys narrow-mindedness and promotes unity, equality, and peaceful co-existence among human beings.” Sathya Sai Baba
FIVE ASPECTS OF THE HUMAN PERSONALITY
There is an organic link between the human values and the human personality. Mental happiness comes from peace, peace comes from love, love is linked with non-violence, non-violence is the outcome of righteous conduct, righteous conduct without truth cannot be thought of. Thus, the five values of love, peace, non-violence, righteous conduct and truth, representing five major facets of the human personality, are the petals of the same flower.
Sathya Sai Baba
The Sathya Sai Education in Human Values (SSEHV) Program identifies five levels or aspects of the personality and five “basic human values”.
- INTELLECT
Great emphasis has traditionally been put on the intellectual development of students. It is the intellect that enables one to analyse and determine what is right and what is wrong, what is lasting and what is ephemeral. It is within this aspect of the personality that the powers of memory and intuition are uncovered. When this is accomplished, the individual will have developed the tools to know and manifest the value of Truth.
- PHYSICAL
All beings have bodies composed of the same physical elements. However, the physical means not only the development of a healthy and strong body, well co-ordinated and ready to perform the tasks necessary for living, but also the development of habits and mechanisms for control and discipline. When the will directs desires, the development of proper habits becomes the touchstone on the basis of which good life decisions are made. Self-help skills related to self-reliance; social skills related to conduct in school and community; and ethical skills related to sharing, consistency and integrity are noted in this physical domain, which corresponds to the value of Right Action.
- EMOTIONAL
The emotional level describes the proper utilization of the sense organs. The emotions need to be understood and harnessed in order to be a proper instrument for individual and social wellbeing. When one experiences emotional equilibrium the value of Peace is experienced.
- PSYCHE
The psyche is that aspect of the human personality that is the fountainhead of love. Love is not an emotion. It is an energy that flows like the sun from one to another. It does not refer to emotional relationships. It is a supreme value in life:
“Love as thought is Truth
Love as action is Right Action
Love as feeling is Peace
Love as understanding is Non-Violence.” Sathya Sai Baba.
- SPIRITUAL
At this level one experiences the essential oneness and unity of all creation. As atomic physics shows, we have a direct relationship with everything in the Universe – air, water, fire, earth, space and the combination of these things. When we understand this basic reality the result is the value of Non-Violence.
We begin to see now not only why SSEHV is integral, but also that it is systematic, developmental and comprehensive. A further look at the five “Human Values” in the context of these aspects of the human personality and the five teaching techniques (silent sitting/tuning in, quotation, story, singing and activity choices) will illuminate further the unique quality of the SSEHV Program.
THE FIVE HUMAN VALUES
“Taken together these values encompass a full vision of the human potential. This includes: fulfilment of the quest of the intellect for Truth; channelling of the will into satisfying expression through Right Action; the resolution of conflicts of human emotions and interactions in the achievement of inner and outer Peace; the expansion of the heart in the flow of Love; and the realization of perfect sympathy for all creation through Nonviolence.” -Sathya Sai Baba
- TRUTH
Truth is considered the fundamental human value. What exactly is Truth?
Truth has different facets. There is the truth of sense perception such as “the fire burns”. One can ascertain this with one’s senses. This is one facet of truth – relative truth. This truth can change and continue to change, according to experience, age, perspective, culture and belief system. There is also the truth by inference such as “man is mortal”. We base this statement on the strength of our observation that people around us die. This is another facet of truth.
The highest truth is unchangeable in the past, present and future. When searching for a lasting truth that withstands relativity, the values of discernment, intuition, justice, quest for knowledge, spirit of enquiry, and synthesis, are nurtured and enhanced.
The child begins to relate to it by learning not to lie – first to others, later to him/herself. To abide by truth means cultivating truthfulness, honesty and sincerity, self-analysis and purity, accuracy and fairness, fearlessness and integrity.
Students make progress in the pursuit of truth by listening to inspiring stories, through learning the teachings of great men and women, by sharpening their memory, and by discovering how to think about internalizing values vividly presented by the world’s cultures.
The Sathya Sai Education in Human Values Program offers concepts and contexts enabling the student to organize and integrate experiences in a significant moral framework. It fosters in the child a lifelong love of learning by revealing the powers of curiosity, logic and discernment, as well as through reflective self-analysis.
- RIGHT ACTION
Truth in Action is Right Action. Behind each action there is a thought. If this thought derives its sustenance from the human will as opposed to human desire, the resultant action will be beneficial to the person as well as to society. To achieve a short- term benefit a child may speak an untruth; that is desire. At the same time, his will is guiding him to speak the truth. SSEHV encourages the development of the will. The child becomes aware of living responsibly, respectfully, co-operatively and working creatively in the various fields of life.
Through the Sathya Sai Education in Human Values Program, children learn to contribute their best for the betterment of themselves and others. Skilful living is taught by the practice of self-help skills, ethical skills and social skills. The Program helps develop will-power and healthy industrious habits, including the ability to be dependable and to be helpful and respectful. Right Action gives the child experience which builds up resourcefulness, confidence and self-esteem. It results in a well-balanced and disciplined personality, and it leads one to peace.
- PEACE
Peace is the state of being quiet, calm and free of emotional disturbance. Peace is not idleness but a sound and balanced mental state which learns to find rest in action and which utilizes all the inherent vital energies to create perfect harmony in action. Right or wrong, whatever a man thinks or does, it is with the intention of attaining peace and happiness. However, peace usually eludes him because new desires arise.
Peace is the deep reservoir of inherent mental calm. This tranquil state, when temporarily hidden, may be found again through a regulated healthy life and disciplines that cultivate freedom from restlessness. The Program offers the means to withstand the pressures opposing inner peace, so that the individual’s inborn calm may sustain him in even adverse circumstances.
The Sathya Sai Education in Human Values Program aims to achieve balance and bring emotional calm through humility, cheerfulness and amiability.
- LOVE
Love is like a radiant sun that spreads its rays in all directions, nurturing and vivifying with its warmth and light. It is the undercurrent of all other values. Children learn about it by being exposed to its tender ways and sweet words. It manifests at various levels: in the form of the love of the mother and father for their children, affection between husband and wife, fondness for family members and friends, devotion to one’s motherland, appreciation for nature, yearning for God.
Though love is expressed through feeling, it is, in fact, energy: it flows, joins, heals and transforms; when it is pure, it is unchanging. This is when love corresponds to the highest truth and the purest goodness. It is a form of energy which each individual transmits and receives every moment. It attracts all forms of life. It is a possession which grows with sharing. Love helps us to overcome the sense of fear by promoting better understanding and appreciation.
Children learn that when you bear good, loving thoughts, your heart is filled with love. Children implicitly understand that love resides in the core of their being. As they learn to seek counsel and guidance from their heart, they deepen their understanding of virtues, such as humility, thoughtfulness, and kindness. Love is the only power capable of conquering and transforming the most terrible enemies of humankind: ego, anger, greed, envy, pride, hatred, attachment and fear.
Love’s spontaneous kindness and forgiveness, sincerity and sympathy help the student’s harmonized responses to many life situations. Love, unconditional and enjoyable, balances the work of the mind with the wisdom of the heart, and this leads to the value of Non-Violence.
- NON-VIOLENCE
Non-violence is the zenith of human achievement and perfection. Non-violence fosters the understanding that man has an obligation towards every object and component of the Universe. Truth expressed in right action, lovingly with peace, results in non-violence. Non-violence is the ethical principle of respect for all beings. Ultimately, non-violence is more; the root meaning of this word is not to hurt others. Positively put, this quality of not hurting others, or goodness is consideration of others, expressed in caring and helpful acts, a concern for equality, justice and a sense of solidarity. It teaches constructive ways of resolving conflicts.
The Sathya Sai Education in Human Values Program encourages students in creative non-violence through social experience and social service. Education in Human Values students learn to evaluate and to protect their own good qualities and to derive strength from them, as well as to nurture the good qualities of others.
Absolute non-violence may not be possible because “life always subsists on life”, but greatness lies in understanding that for survival, we must inflict the least amount of injury possible. This includes injury to the lesser forms of life like plants as well as to the higher forms of life such as animals and man. This love and appreciation alone will complete the growth of human personality.
The practice of Non-violence is not restricted to the physical aspect alone but includes thought, word and deed.
Non-violence instils a sense of morality, equality and respect for the rights of all human beings; it fosters appreciation of all cultures and religions, as well as ecological concern and awareness. It is an expression of universal love that promotes unity among people and a sense of being part of a whole. Non-violence springs forth from a feeling of inner identity with life at large, and as such it represents the spiritual aspect of the human being.
The five basic values are inter-related; they function in unison, like the fingers of the hand. Each contributes towards the functioning of the whole hand.
Pedagogy
The pedagogy of SSEHV is integral education based on a holistic approach, which touches all aspects of the human personality and addresses every aspect of life. It combines secular and spiritual education.
The aim of SSEHV is therefore to integrate the human values in the curriculum, thus eliciting the human values through all aspects of education, including the process of learning and the process of teaching. Most importantly it is done through creating an environment and culture of love. Here the teacher has a key role to play by being an example of love.
The program does not suggest or recommend any change or alteration of the existing curricula. It only seeks to achieve the reinforcement and enrichment of the existing curriculum to impart a new dimension of values.
The means are the five teaching techniques : Silent Sitting/Tuning In, Prayers/Quotation, Storytelling, Group Singing, Group Activities and other compatible techniques, which provide a full range of learning activities and embrace body, mind and spirit.
Silent Sitting/Tuning In results in superior concentration, better receptivity and improves understanding. At a deeper level, it greatly aids memory and prepares the ground for intuitive awakening. As the thoughts, desires and emotions get stilled, new vistas of Peace are unearthed.
It is only in silence that the intuitive flashes of excellence are seen and experienced. Tuning in is the force behind genius and it imparts a new dimension of depth to the human personality. For centuries, the greatest of scientists, musicians, poets and artists have used and recommended the habit of sitting quietly and tuning in.
The tremendous level of noise and the powerful distractions in today’s environment have increased the hyperactivity of our children. A brief period of silent sitting promotes the ability to tune out distractions and to tune in to one’s inner resources. It develops patience and discipline.
The aim of Storytelling is to awaken interest, imagination and spirit of inquiry, to promote curiosity and ability to visualize, to create understanding, empathy and tolerance, and to improve discrimination and memory. It captures the heart and mind in a dynamic process, giving meaning and significance to one’s life by developing models for behavior.
Prayers and/or inspirational quotations improve memory and concentration, sharpen intuition, and lift the spirit and the heart to the highest ideals.
Prayer promotes positive thought and acknowledges a Higher Force or Being that one can call upon for guidance and assistance. Prayer helps to eliminate fear. It develops self-confidence, wisdom, health and happiness; and it confers peace. It is useful to find prayers from various religions which are expressing the same thoughts. This helps to promote unity of faiths and to develop tolerance and respect for others of different faiths and cultures.
Group Singing develops concentration, cooperation and team spirit. In addition, it promotes balance, harmony, joy and love. Research shows the healing effect of music, because it brings heart and breathing into rhythm – but it also develops musical sense and harmony of body, mind and spirit.
Group activities such as group dialogues, creative activities, theatre and role playing, projects of social commitment and service to the society allow the children to find a direct way to transfer the understanding of the values into daily life situations. Being active enables the children to experience what has been understood. The activities promote creativity and imagination, develop discriminative power and abstract thinking. They facilitate self-discipline and the understanding of social rules and obligations, as well as understanding of the environment.
Follow-up and life application
These exercises are designed to help the children incorporate the values into their lives, as part of their personalities. Teachers will find that they too are a part of this experience. Once the teacher appreciates the process of identifying and experiencing the five human values, it will form an integral part of his/her life.